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I am at the tail end of the boomers. I had my kids at 40 and 41. My parents split when I was 8 and I was the third kid, and a latchkey kid because my mom had to go back to work. So I wanted to be here when my kids got home. I wanted to be here when they got sick. I am lucky that my husband was on board. We discussed it before we even got married. I was lucky I got pregnant quickly both times. I had a good career as a real estate appraiser and analyst for many years. I started working when I was 17 and pretty much never stopped until I went on bedrest with my first child. My kids are now almost 16 and almost 14. I didn't necessarily want to rise to the top of the heap career wise. I was probably a tad on the insecure side. Now I would feel much more confident in my skills and ability.
Never married, no children, no regrets. I am another beneficiary of the Air Force experience.
After graduating from college, I discovered that without "connections" (of which I had none), even educated women were mostly relegated to traditional "female" (i.e., dead-end) jobs. When the military services started opening career fields to women that had previously been closed to them (in anticipation of a recruiting deficit when the all-volunteer force replaced the draft), I decided to see what the Air Force could do for me. Best decision I ever made. While it was not easy (and there was resistance from the "traditionalists") and I was often the first woman to serve in a particular role and sometimes the only woman in the unit, it was a wonderful experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. It led to a decades-long career in the intelligence community, experiences that I would never have had otherwise, and lifelong friendships with some of the best and smartest people in the world.
I do think society is pretty accepting now of married/not married kids/no kids.
back then it was 'oh you'll meet someone someday'.
single mothers (not widowed or divorced) were not looked on too favorably.
Ain't THAT the truth! Heck, when my eldest, unmarried niece became pregnant, my older brother (a normally courageous, stand-up guy) begged ME to go tell our parents. All hell broke loose - for about 10 minutes. Then they were okay. And when they saw the baby, of course they were over the moon!!
Born in 1954 and grew up hearing Cinderella stories followed by women's liberation movement. Right smack in the middle so a bit confused during adolescence about what direction to take. I recall my sister-in-law dragging me to a feminist meeting when I was about 12. Mom divorced in 1960 and went back to work as a hospital pharmacist so I had a good role model in that regard. I married at 26 and had one child. Planned to have at least one more but life got in the way as I became caretaker for various sick relatives. I never thought I would like being a mom but found out how enjoyable that role was once I had one. I worked at a state job for most of that time until I retired a few years ago. I do recall wishing I could be a SAHM but my income was needed. In the end, my daughter turned out fine and went on to get a graduate degree, works a professional job, just had twins and plans to continue working because she likes her career.
I got married young and had 3 kids. When the youngest started kindergarten I started college. Obtained 3 college degrees and then full time work until recently retired.
Also part of the in-between generation. The opportunity for a well-paying career now had arrived. But divorce rates were high. Becoming a SAHM was too big a financial risk with socially many men expecting that their wife continue to work in a high-cost area. As for kids ... holding down a demanding job, living in a city with long commutes, managing a family at a time when men had not fully (and probably still have not yet today) adjusted to sharing that burden wasn't the right choice for me. I applaud the women who did it but I wasn't in their class.
OTOH, I loved travel and was able to be away for many months, even a year at a time. Vaguely assumed I might someday become a DINK (double income, no kids) but there was no rush or pressure.
The plan was to retire early and live overseas to volunteer in orphanages then later yet go back to school. One day the thought struck me - why wait? From not planning on biological children, I decided in about 10 minutes to adopt, waited two weeks (one of which was a bout with the flu), decided I could handle it - and applied. A few months later a baby arrived. That's not how the decision process should go (seemingly a whim), but for me/us it worked.
My daughter is wonderful. Once retired, we started long overseas trips during school vacations. Living overseas never happened (my early plan to homeschool her offshore wouldn't have been right for her). Instead of my going back to school, I instead support her in college and, soon, graduate school. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
There was no single-motherhood stigma since my daughter was adopted. The prevailing view instead was that I "rescued" her and wasn't I wonderful. That distorts the real dynamic, but countering a positive stereotypes is better than dealing with a negative one. It's been and continues to be a good journey.
Middle section of boomer years--'55. Went to school with a great career in mind. Started the career and master's program, but wanted a family which was proving difficult. Had lots of test, husband and I both. Was recommended to adopt, which we did, and she had always been a joy to us. Had to give up work and school for a couple years as per the adoption agency. Medical problems persisted, but another baby came! And then another, and ten years later, another! Medical problems persisted and husband traveled a lot, so work was far on the far back-burner. No relatives in town to help. I liked being a mom most of all, but certainly did miss working with patients. I still miss it.
I always knew that having a family would be the most important career for me, but had been hoping that I could be a career-person in the larger world, too. Life doesn't always work according to plan.
TO MY FELLOW FEMALE BOOMERS: We came up during an "In-between" time in history: after the "Greatest Generation' & before the Xers. My question is: How many of you were Stay-At-Home Moms & how many were Career Women? OR were you Moms who had active careers & what were they? Would LOVE to know your story!! Thanks
Career woman, out of necessity. Divorced, no children, didn't remarry. So...career woman. It was very hard, since I wasn't raised for that, or with knowledge of anything financial or work-related. So I muddled through to find a way to make a decent living, save for retirement, learn a bit about investing.... Also learning how to mow a lawn, do minor electrical work, and other house things that women of my generation were not taught.
I don't know that women of the Generation X were in a much better position. Were they? My baby sister is Gen X. She knows how to do household projects...a few mechanical things and such. Always did. Other than that, she was pretty typical of the boomers before her.
TO MY FELLOW FEMALE BOOMERS: We came up during an "In-between" time in history: after the "Greatest Generation' & before the Xers. My question is: How many of you were Stay-At-Home Moms & how many were Career Women? OR were you Moms who had active careers & what were they? Would LOVE to know your story!! Thanks
We aren't what I'd call an in-between generation at all. Boomers are a major generation, not just one tucked between two other generations.
I'm a boomer... career oriented, college educated. My mother was stay at home, never made it to high school.
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